The Christmas That Almost Wasn't
by BreezyWheezy07
Summary: Christmas is here again, and Santa is once again on a mission to save Christmas in Albuquerque...Read and review, please!


**THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T**

**DISCLAIMER:** The "**Santa Clause**" series belongs to Disney, and "**High School Musical**" belongs to Disney Channel. I am merely borrowing the movies for entertainment purposes.

**CHARACTERS:**

Charlie Calvin

Santa Claus/Scott Calvin

Louisa Calvin (Charlie's sister/my semioriginal character)

Lucy Miller

Carol Newman Claus/Calvin

Ryan Evans

Sharpay Evans

Gabriella Montez

Troy Bolton

Chad Danforth

Taylor McKessie

Kelsi Nielson

Jason Cross

**PLOT:** Charlie and Louisa Calvin start at East High in Albuquerque, only to learn that Sharpay Evans is on the naughty list. The Calvin twins, aka Calvin Cavalry, must attempt to make Sharpay good, or there is to be no Christmas in Albuquerque! Can the Calvin Cavalry save Christmas in time, or will Sharpay stop Christmas in Albuquerque? Read and Review! Oh, and before I start, I must warn all of you that this will only be a long one-shot, unless you ask for a sequel in your reviews.

* * *

**THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T**

Charlie Calvin and his sister, Louisa stepped into the principal's office at East High School. Both were feeling very nervous about starting at a new school so late in the semester, but they knew that they had to do this for their father.

* * *

**FLASHBACK:**

_"Charlie, Louisa!" Santa Claus called into the seemingly empty house. He knew his kids just had to be home, they just had to!_

_"Daddy, what's wrong?" Louisa asked._

_"There is something terribly wrong with my naughty and nice list, and I was wondering if you'd help me?" Santa asked cautiously._

_"Sure, Dad. What is it?" Carlie asked. He knew that if his dad was having trouble up at the North Pole, he and his sister had to help out._

_"It's a city in New Mexico called Albuquerque. Uh...specifically one person, I should say."_

_"Who?" Louisa asked impatiently. If her father needed the Calvin Cavalry, he better get on with it before she fell asleep!_

_"Sharpay Evans is her name."_

_"Wait...Sharpay Evans...she's the twin sister of my chatroom buddy, Ryan Evans. She's always causing trouble at East High School, according to Ryan. Latest episode: she attempted to break up Ryan's friend Troy Bolton and his girlfriend Gabriella Montez only because she wants Troy for herself! The attempt, though, was unsuccessful." Louisa said. "Charlie...what're we gonna do? We made Dad a promise that we'd make Sharpay good!"_

_"What do you mean, what are we gonna do?" Charlie asked._

_"I mean, how are we going to get to--" Louisa started to speak, but was interrupted by a slam of the front door and a "KIDS, COME HERE A MINUTE, WILL YOU?" from Niel Miller._

_Louisa sighed. "Time to go see the world's most boring psychologist again."_

_Charlie, Louisa, and their stepsister, Lucy, sat down. Laura Miller, their mother and Santa sat down across from them. "I have bad news. Uh, good news for me, bad news for you."_

_"Go on, Daddy!" Lucy said impatiently._

_"We have to move to Albuquerque because I have been offered a job there and I said yes!" Niel blurted out._

_"Hey, Niel, actually that's good news for us, too!" Louisa said._

_"How so?"_

_"Dad gave us a job to do there, too. We have to save Christmas in Albuquerque, other wise there won't be any Christmas for the kids there..."_

_"That's right!" Charlie said._

_"So, what are we waiting for? I have a new office waiting for me and you two have a Chistmas mission to do, so let's get moving!" Niel said._

**END OF FLASHBACK.

* * *

**

Now Charlie and Louisa sat at the principal's office of their new school waiting for their new schedules and a quick tour before homeroom. East High School's Principal Matsui was a very nice, but tough, man. He asked a question only Louisa could answer positively for her and Charlie: "Do either of you two know anybody here at East High?"

"I might," Louisa answered.

"Who?" Principal Matsui asked while Charlie looked on with a confused look on his face.

"Ryan Evans. Does he go to school here with a sister named Sharpay Evans?" Louisa asked.

"Yes, they do. Why do you ask?"

"Ryan's an online friend of mine. I knew him before I even came to this school. I doubt he'll know who I am, as I never even sent him a picture of myself."

"Okay. Well, shall we get started on the quick tour before I take you to Mrs. Darbus's homeroom?"

Louisa and Charlie quickly stood up and followed Principal Matsui out into the long corridor by the bulletin boards. "Here are your schedules, I will have two students from your homeroom show you to your classes today. Charlie, you get Troy Bolton. Louisa, you get Ryan Evans. How does that sound?"

"Cool." Louisa and Charlie said unanimously.

"Okay, let's go." He showed the Calvins the bathrooms (in his opinion, esential to all students attending the school), the cafeteria, and the front vestibule where a Christmas tree and a few other decorations sat.

"Hey, you actually decorated this school," Charlie said. He was beginning to like this principal more and more.

"Yes, and why wouldn't I?"

"Um, our other principal wasn't really into the Christmas spirit. That is, until she married our Dad at Christmas." Louisa explained.

"Hmmm. Doesn't sound like my type of Principal. Let me introduce you to Troy, Charlie."

Charlie and Louisa followed Principal Matsui to a tall, dirty-blonde-headed boy. He had his arms wrapped around a petite Hispanic girl who was grinning at him. Louisa immediately knew who they were before the principal opened his mouth. "That's Troy Bolton and his girlfriend Gabriella Montez, right?"

"How'd you know our names when you've never even set foot in here until today?" Gabriella asked.

"Ryan Evans is my email friend."

"Ryan?" Troy asked. "He's a good friend of mine. Are you Louisa Calvin?"

"Yep." Louisa said.

"Good to meet you. Are you Charlie?" Troy asked Louisa's brother.

"Uh-huh." Charlie said.

"Come with me, and I'll introduce you to my friends."

"Okay."

"That was fast," Louisa said to Principal Matsui, who led her to two blonde-haired people.

"Ryan?" the principal asked.

"Yeah?" asked the boy.

"This is Louisa Calvin. You may know her as an online friend?"

"Oh. My. Goodness. You're Louisa?" Ryan Evans asked incredulously.

"In the flesh!" Louisa said.

The bell rang that instant, and Louisa and Ryan and Sharpay all went to Mrs. Darbus's auditorium/classroom.

* * *

"What's your first class?" Ryan asked Louisa. He wanted to get her there so he could make it to his on time. "Mine's Algebra two with Mr. Goldman (A/N: that's the real name of my former Algebra 2 teacher in high school)." 

"I have the same class," Louisa said.

"Okay, let's go, then."

Louisa's first day at East High went fairly well until lunchtime...or maybe not...

'Okiedokie...I have my lunch, but where do I sit?' Louisa asked herself. As if he was reading her mind, Ryan Evans suggested that she sit with him and Sharpay.

"Hey, Sharpay, I have a question...according to Ryan, you're always a bad girl. Why can't you be good for once?" Louisa said bluntly. She knew Ryan would get pissed off about that, probably, but she just had to ask.

"Because that's who I am. I can't pretent to be someone I'm not." Sharpay snapped.

'Whoa, not the answer I was expecting...' Louisa thought. Out loud, Louisa told Ryan she'd be right back. She opened up her cell phone and called Charlie.

"What's up?" Charlie asked.

"Sharpay's answer to my theory. She didn't prove me right. She said that she misbehaves only because being good isn't what she does."

"Damn it! What now?"

"I dunno. We can talk to dad later for more ideas, right?"

"Okay..." Charlie said.

"See you later, bro."

"You too."

* * *

'I have to tell Ryan or Christmas won't come to Albuquerque!' Louisa thought on her way home later that day. She knew that she'd be betraying her father's secret by telling Ryan exactly who he was and what she was supposed to be doing, but she knew that she would eventually have to tell him everything. Why not tomorrow before school?

* * *

**THE NEXT DAY...**

"Charlie, I have to tell him. You told Danielle, so why should this be any different?" Louisa asked.

"Louie, this is just your friend, girl...You can't tell him until you really trust him." Charlie countered.

"Charlie, that's a very valid point, but I'm telling him everything today."

Ryan was standing right behind Louisa when she said the last few words. "Tell me what?"

"I have a secret to tell, so go find Troy and Gabs, huh?"

"Tell me what?" repeated Ryan.

"Uh...come here," Louisa said, pulling Ryan with her back outside the school to her brother's car.

'This must be really serious, otherwise she wouldn't have pulled me to her car.' thought Ryan.

"Ryan...I just want you to know that I know what I'm about to say sounds utterly ridiculous, so you don't need to tell me that. I am betraying my father, but I have to tell you so that you know why I asked Sharpay that question yesterday. Ryan...last week, I lived in Connecticut. I had a great life, no worries. Now, though, I have to worry about Christmas. My dad is Santa Claus. My brother and I have believed in him for a long time. We should...I mean, he is our dad, right? Anyway, he gave me and Charlie an assignment to do. That is: We have to make Sharpay behave and save Christmas, or the holiday will perish and dad and his co-workers will no longer exist," Louisa said all in one breath.

Ryan just stared at Louisa, hardly daring to breathe. Ryan never told anyone, even Sharpay, but he still believed in Santa. He was now staring at his daughter for the first time. She had been sent to do something for her father, but so far was unsuccessful. Ryan decided it was high time HE helped someone do his or her job. "Louisa, that's not hogwash. Don't tell anyone, but I have always believed in your dad. I'm gonna help you complete your mission whether you like it or not! Heck, I even just got an idea. Want to hear it?"

Louisa couldn't believe her luck. The guy whom she thought was going to hate her was helping her! She was one lucky girl. "Let's hear it!" Louisa said, he sprits high again because of her new friend.

* * *

Friday, December 22, 2006 came so fast that Louisa could've sworn that her hair was on fire as she brushed it on her way out her bedroom door. The Millers' phone rang and Louisa answered it on her way out the door. It was Ryan. He was ready to kick the plan into gear. 

At school, Louisa walked up to Sharpay, who was whispering to Zeke about a new recipe he was thinking of trying. "Sharpay?" Louisa asked tentatively.

"What?" she snapped. Louisa was ruining something important and she wanted to get back to Zeke before he went to practice.

"Ryan and I need to ask you a little favor."

"Can it wait until lunch?"

"No. Please, it's urgent. If it wasn't, would I ask?"

"Okay. Bye, Zeke. Have fun at practice, babe!"

Zeke waved back as Sharpay and Louisa made their way to Ryan's locker. "Sharpay...We were wondering...since you love to volunteer for something...why not at the hospital? They need someone to sing three Christmas carols to children. Want to do it?" Ryan asked tentatively. He knew he was treading upon treacherous waters, but he had to do it. It was all he had.

"No. I am only willing enough to lend my voice to my peers, not to sick, needy children," Sharpay snapped.

"Sharpay," Ryan said, starting to get angry, but putting up a calm front for Louisa. "Please do this one small thing for the children. Besides, you're always complaining about how you don't have much to do in the evenings when we get home. Even during auditions, you're bored. Please, please, please?"

"Okay, okay, okay, Ryan!" Sharpay huffed. "Deets, please."

"Tomorrow afternoon at noon." Ryan said. "Pick whatever carols you wish to sing, and sing them with all your heart."

"Will you be there?"

"No. This is all you."

"Fine."

* * *

Saturday's sun shone brightly in the sky. Sharpay groaned as she got dressed for the day. She knew she had to sing at the hospital for a bunch of stupid little kids for Ryan, so she had chosen her three songs: _Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Winter Wonderland, _and _Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer_.

At about 11:30, she got into her car and drove to the hospital where she was admitted as the volunteer singer in the children's ward. All of the children were gathered in a large room with a microphone and a chair.

Sharpay decided to sing _Winter Wonderland _first, and that went well with her audience. Their enthusiasm tore at her heart. She felt tears in her eyes as she realized something. Louisa's face was in the audience, and Sharpay knew what Louisa had done.

"Um, I have to go to the bathroom really quick. I don't think you kids want to see a songbird make a puddle on the floor, huh?" Sharpay excused herself. She had to call Ryan and ask him if her suspicions were true.

"Ryan?" Sharpay asked once he answered his phone. "Is Louisa an angel?"

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked with laughter in his voice.

"She made me realize that I was a bad girl this year. I may have ruined Christmas..."

"No. When you sang, the good deed was done. Are you done singing yet? Louisa and I want you to meet someone."

"Not yet, let me finish up."

And she hung up and went to sing her other two songs to the kids. When she left, she felt very good inside now that she had done a good deed. As soon as she got home, she was Louisa and Ryan and...Santa Claus?!

"Santa? I thought you were a myth like Hercules." Sharpay said.

Santa laughed. "No, I'm real like you are." He then handed Sharpay a present. She opened it to reveal a charm necklace. She loved it. She hugged Santa, and said a tearful goodbye, as it was dinnertime for Santa and Carol. The next night was his delivery night, so he had to rest up as best he could.

* * *

**THE END!!**

**AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!**

**REVIEW OR SANTA WON'T BRING YOU A PRESENT!**


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